1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fiber optic communication system which uses wavelength division multiplexing to transmit a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a controller which controls an optical attenuator or an optical amplifier to change the power level of the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal when the number of channels are varied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wavelength division multiplexing is used in fiber optic communication systems to transfer a relatively large amount of data at a high speed.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional fiber optic communication system which uses wavelength division multiplexing to transmit, for example, four channels through a single optical fiber. Referring now to FIG. 1, transmitting units 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 and 20-4 transmit individual carriers having wavelengths xcex1-xcex4, respectively. Each carrier is modulated with information and represents an individual channel. The different carriers are multiplexed together by an optical multiplexer 22 into a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal. The wavelength-multiplexed optical signal is transmitted through an optical fiber 24 to an optical demultiplexer 26. Optical demultiplexer 26 branches the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal into four separate optical signals having the wavelengths xcex1-xcex4, respectively. The four separate branched optical signals are then detected by receiving units 28-1, 28-2, 28-3 and 28-4, respectively.
While the above optical fiber communication system multiplexes four carriers together, it is common practice to multiplex more than four carriers. More specifically, many different carriers may be multiplexed together. In this manner, a relatively large amount of data can be transmitted through an optical fiber.
An optical amplifier (not illustrated) or an optical repeater (not illustrated) is typically inserted between optical multiplexer 22 and optical demultiplexer 26, to amplify the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal travelling through optical fiber 24. Such an optical amplifier is typically a rare-earth doped optical fiber amplifier which directly amplifies the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal. That is, a rare-earth doped optical fiber amplifier amplifies the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal without converting the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal into an electrical signal.
Unfortunately, the use of a rare-earth doped optical fiber amplifier causes several problems when the number of channels in the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal is varied. More specifically, during the variation (that is, before the variation in the number of channels is complete), the optical power of each channel can undesireably be varied, thereby causing non-linear degradation or S/N degradation of the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical amplifying apparatus which reduces non-linear degradation and S/N degradation of a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal when the number of channels are varied.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by providing an apparatus which includes an optical amplifier and a controller. The optical amplifier amplifies a light signal having a variable number of channels. The controller controls a power level of the amplified light signal in response to variations in the number of channels in the light signal.
More specifically, objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a controller which (a) prior to, and subsequent to, varying the number of channels in the light signal, passes the amplified light signal with a varying light transmissivity so that a power level of the amplified light signal is maintained at an approximately constant level in accordance with the number of channels in the light signal, and, (b) while the number of channels in the light signal is being varied, passes the amplified light signal with a constant light transmissivity.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved by providing an apparatus which includes an optical amplifier, a controller, a demultiplexer and an automatic level control unit. The optical amplifier amplifies a light signal having a variable number of channels. The controller controls the amplified light signal in response to variations in the number of channels in the light signal. The demultiplexer demultiplexes the controlled, amplified light signal into individual signals. The automatic level control unit controls the power level of a respective individual signal so that the power level of the individual signal is maintained to be approximately constant.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved by providing an apparatus which includes an automatic level control unit and an optical fiber amplifier. The automatic level control unit maintains a power level of a light signal to be approximately constant and produces a corresponding output signal. The optical fiber amplifier amplifies the output signal of the automatic level control unit with a constant gain.
Objects of the present invention are further achieved by providing an optical amplifier and a controller. The optical amplifier amplifies a light signal having a variable number of channels. Prior to, and subsequent to, varying the number of channels in the light signal, the controller maintains a power level of the amplified light signal at an approximately constant level in accordance with the number of channels in the light signal. While the number of channels in the light signal is being varied, the controller amplifies the amplified light signal with an approximately constant gain.
Moveover, objects of the present invention are achieved by providing an apparatus which includes an optical amplifier, an optical attenuator and a controller. The optical amplifier amplifies a light signal having a variable number of channels. The optical attenuator passes the amplified light signal and has a variable light transmissivity. Prior to varying the number of channels in the light signal, the controller varies the light transmissivity of the optical attenuator so that a power level of the amplified light signal is maintained at an approximately constant level that depends on the number of channels in the light signal prior to the varying the number of channels. While the number of channels in the light signal is being varied, the controller maintains the light transmissivity of the optical attenuator to be constant. Subsequent to varying the number of channels in the light signal, the controller varies the light transmissivity of the optical attenuator so that a power level of the amplified light signal is maintained at an approximately constant level that depends on the number of channels in the light signal subsequent to the varying the number of channels.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved by providing a method for controlling a light signal having a variable number of channels and amplified by an optical amplifier. The method includes the steps of: (a) prior to, and subsequent to, varying the number of channels in the light signal, passing the amplified light signal with a varying light transmissivity so that a power level of the amplified light signal is maintained at an approximately constant level in accordance with the number of channels in the light signal, and, (b) while the number of channels in the light signal is being varied, passing the amplified light signal with a constant light transmissivity.
Objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a method for controlling a light signal having a variable number of channels and amplified by an optical amplifier, wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) prior to, and subsequent to, varying the number of channels in the light signal, maintaining a power level of the amplified light signal at an approximately constant level in accordance with the number of channels in the light signal, and, (b) while the number of channels in the light signal is being varied, amplifying the amplified light signal with an approximately constant gain.